Winter Weather — O'brien, Iowa

2026-01-21 · O'brien, Iowa

Event narrative

Northwest winds were sustained from 30 to 38 mph and gusted to 51 mph at Sheldon. These winds combined with periods of light snowfall which totaled around 1 inch to produce visibility briefly as low as one-quarter to one-half mile.

Wider weather episode

Winds behind yet another arctic front reached speeds from 40 to 50 mph with gusts as high as 60 to 70 mph across northwest Iowa. When periods of light snowfall occurred that would total around one inch or less, gusty winds produced considerable near blizzard to blizzard conditions.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1315463. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.